Comic competition winners — Gender Equality: Picture It!

UN Women together with the European Commission, the Belgian Development Cooperation, and UNRIC organized a Comic and Cartoon Competition on Gender Equality in 2015. The competition invited young European comic and cartoon artists and art students, aged 18 to 28 years, to picture their understanding of women’s rights and gender equality through cartoons and comics. The comics and cartoons had to be without words. Finalists were selected by a jury composed of professional comic artists, gender equality experts and communication experts. Below are the winners and semi-finalists!

First place winner

Emilio Morales Ruiz, Spain

Emilio was born in Huelva, Spain in 1988. Since he was a child, he has loved everything associated with art. He studied mass media communications at the University of Málaga and the University of Salamanca, and holds a degree in publicity from the University of Cádiz and in Lisbon, Portugal. Emilio works as a graphic designer and does freehand drawings, encompassing illustrations, logos, posters and designs for different companies. He has made decorative illustrations inside clubs and centres in Spain and the United Kingdom.

What gender equality means to me: Gender equality is an undeniable right. Gender inequality is thus a reality that we need to end immediately.

About my comic: Gender inequality is still visible today. Even the smallest acts are important steps for solving this global problem.

Contact: emilio.mruiz[at]hotmail[dot]com

Second place winner

David Ibáñez Bordallo, Spain

David was born in Yecla, Spain in 1988. In 2009, he obtained a degree as a technical specialist in arts and design from the School of Arts and Design of Murcia. David also holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Murcia. He is currently working as a freelance illustrator for companies and print media, while continuing his research interest in intercultural education.

What gender equality means to me: Gender inequality represents one of the biggest challenges of our times. As a teacher, I believe in the power of education to change things. I hope that with proper education, creativity, and sense of responsibility future generations will be able to move more strongly in solving this and other problems that compromise sustainability and human happiness: I firmly believe in children’s superpowers to overcome barriers that currently seem almost impossible to overcome.

Third place winners

Samuel Akinfenwa Onwusa, Spain

Samuel Akinfenwa Onwusa Samuel was born in Zaragoza, Spain in 1987. He has been influenced by art and painting since he was a child. Samuel holds degrees in arts as well as in design and illustration from the School of Arts in Zaragoza. Since 2009, he has been serving as an illustrator for different companies in Spain. He also works as a graphic designer doing posters and corporate designs. Samuel has won a number for prizes for his posters.

What gender equality means to me: Gender equality is a very important challenge and inextricably linked to education. Regardless of gender or ethnicity, we are all human beings and therefore equal in all the most important aspects. Gender equality is a goal that has to be set in the minds of people, especially children, to thrive peace and harmony.

About my comic: My comic reflects the rejection and intolerance that is given to women in job interviews, ignoring the education or knowledge they have for the position.

Aleksi Siirtola, Finland

Aleksi was born in Tampere, Finland in 1987. He has been drawing as long as he can remember, and began making comics at the age of 12. Aleksi has drawn for magazines, competitions, and private commissions. He is currently working on a master’s degree in English literary theory.

What gender equality means to me: I have always identified as a feminist. I think gender equality is one of the most important goals for society to attain, and one that benefits us all.

About my comic: My picture depicts how women can work toward equality without compromising who they are. The goal of equality is universal.

Contact: everettmontano[at]gmail[dot]com

Agata Hop, Poland

Agata was born in 1995 and is currently attending high school in Supraśl, Poland. She pursues her art through a number of projects covering illustration, comics, digital drawing and animation. She has worked at an animation studio, designed T-shirts for a dance workshop at the Grand Theatre in Warsaw, and created the logo for the Theatre Dolls and People in Bialystok.

What gender equality means to me: Gender equality means that men and women are able to achieve the same degree of success through an equal effort.

About my comic: The cartoon portrays today’s sad reality in an amusing way. While the man is riding an escalator to success, the woman has to climb the ladder carrying a lot of burden.

Aitor López García, Spain

Aitor was born in 1988. He holds a degree in applied sculptural arts and studied art history at the University of Oviedo, Spain. He has carried out a number of artistic works comprising cartoons, logos and drawings of different types. Aitor has won a number of prizes for his artworks, including for a drawing for a charity auction befitting the people of Haiti in 2010.

What gender equality means to me: Gender equality means that one day we will not need to speak about equality any more.

Joanna Grochulska, Poland

Joanna was born in Wągrowiec, Poland in 1991. She graduated with a degree in arts education from the University of Arts in Poznań. In 2014, she began studying interior design at the same university. With other students, Joanna runs the Young University of Arts in Poznań, a place where children and youth can develop their creativity.

What gender equality means to me: Gender equality is something natural for me. Every single person, regardless of their sex, race, religion or economic situation, deserves to have equal opportunities and to be treated with dignity.

About my comic: Women have a lot of strength. They can fix the world. And what is more important — they are already doing it!

Contact: interasia[at]interia[dot]pl

Semi-finalists

Clara Mar Hernández López, Spain

Laurence Herfs, The Netherlands

Olga Schikunov, Germany

Jakub Topor, Poland

Mariola Stachnik, Poland

The copyright of any drawing remains the property of the entrant. However, by submitting to the Competition entrants have granted permission to the Organizing Entities to use, distribute, reproduce or otherwise utilize the drawing and the entrant’s name and city and state.